Proposals

Downloadable File(s)

Although we recommend a query letter first, if you have a book proposal in one of our interest areas ready for consideration, here's what your proposal should include:

A cover letter summarizing your book proposal

A detailed outline of the content of your proposed book

Two or three completed projects

Step-by-step directions for each sample project

Sample step-by-step photography, if applicable

The proposal should describe the purpose and content of the book, identify the prospective audience, and explain what a reader will learn from the book.

Questions the proposal should answer include:

Can you clearly identify the market for your book? Is it directed toward a beginning, intermediate, or advanced audience?

Are other books on this subject available? If so, how will your book differ from them?

Do you plan to include information on the tools, materials, and techniques needed to complete the projects?

Will your book introduce new techniques or use new materials?

How many step-by-step projects do you expect to include?

Is the manuscript ready for review now? If not, how soon will it be complete?

Does your book require illustrations or charts? What kind and about how many?

Will you provide rough sketches or finished art for these?

What advantages do you as an artist/author offer, and in what ways do you hope to promote the book? Do you have a web site? A blog? Are you available to travel to trade shows and other events for book signings and promotion?

Outline

Your outline should include a detailed, chapter-by-chapter overview of the entire book. Make the outline as specific as possible. Divide each chapter into subtopics or projects, and provide a brief description of each topic or project.

Sample projects

The finished projects you provide as samples should be complete and polished, just as they would be presented in the book. The step-by-step text should include an introduction to the project, a list of required materials and tools, and detailed instructions for making the project from start to finish.

Photography

Your proposal should address whether you have the ability to provide digital photos of the step-by-step processes of the project. If you do, please include a few examples of these photos on a CD along with your proposal.

We will provide detailed photography instruction if your proposal is accepted. See the section below, Who will take photos of my work? for good basic information about tabletop photography.

How does Kalmbach decide whether or not to publish my book?

Once we've received your outline and sample projects, your proposal will be evaluated by Editoral and Marketing staffs, as well as by the Publisher of Kalmbach Books.

The total review process takes from two to three months. If your book proposal is accepted, we'll offer you a contract. After you have reviewed the contract and returned a signed copy to us, your book will be placed on our list of forthcoming titles along with an estimated delivery date for your completed book.

Who will take photos of my work?

For practical purposes, you'll probably have to complete the photography of the progressive steps in the creation of your projects. We call these process shots. Our in-house studio can handle what we call the "beauty" shots, the photos of the finished work you send us. We'd like to suggest an excellent Web site to help you with tabletop photography of items like beads, jewelry and model trains, planes and automobiles. This site answers many questions about getting publishable results.

Go to: www.tabletopstudio.com, then click on the "Product Photography How To" button for suggestions specific to individual topics like beads, jewelry, or models.

In addition, we are always happy to answer your questions or to direct them to our studio photographers.

Please refer to the directions for the Kalmbach FTP site in order to send large quantities of images for your book project at How to contribute photography on our main Books page.